Andy Burnham becomes UK Prime Minister
Former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham was elected Labour leader unopposed in July and went on to become Britain's sixth prime minister in a decade.
Britain's Labour Party elected Andy Burnham as its new leader unopposed at a special conference in London in July. Burnham, a former mayor of Greater Manchester, took over the party without facing any rival candidates.
Shortly afterward, Burnham became the country's prime minister — the sixth person to hold the post in the past decade, underscoring the UK's prolonged period of political instability.
First Cabinet
Upon taking office, Burnham assembled his top team and unveiled an initiative called "No.10 North," insisting it was "not a gimmick." The move was framed as part of an effort to ease Britons' concerns over the cost of living.
European backdrop
Separately, the European Commission has continued implementing much of the plan drawn up two years ago by former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi to boost Europe's economic competitiveness. However, national governments are increasingly pushing back against parts of the plan, complicating its full rollout.
